While I believe that when you are in the glamour industry, you have to look your best, I also believe being skinny is not 'hot and happening.'

I am always surrounded by very, very charming men, very intelligent men with a great sense of humour who always keep me entertained and pampered.

I have a lot of friends, but my biggest fear is loneliness. I miss my family in Mumbai, and my biggest nightmare every day is to go back home alone.

At some level, I feel it is nice to know that a film of yours is doing well at the box office and has also got great reviews. That feels like success.

I don't think you need any kind of backing here in the industry. I think what you achieve in your life is the result of your own talent and hard work.

I wish to be appreciated not only as a film star but also for the person I am. If I manage to bring a smile on people's faces, then I think I'll be successful.

Comfort is of great importance to me. I really want to encourage girls to dress in whatever they feel comfortable in and not get bogged down by fashion trends.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I personally feel that the Indian body type is not cut out to be size zero. I am not size zero and I don't believe in that either.

I don't look at it as Hollywood or Bollywood, but, of course, my roots are here, and at the end of the day, it's about your roots. You can't take India out of me.

I talk to my parents everyday and every move that I make, every endorsement that I do, every film that I do and my everyday activities are all discussed with them.

I believe chemistry is based on the trust between two performers. What actually works is something intangible - being extremely comfortable in each other's presence.

I was in Mauritius, shooting for 'Break Ke Baad,' and I went for skydiving. It was a life-changing experience. Travelling, dancing, and reading are my other pastimes.

The only day I will worry is if I stop getting exciting roles. As an actor, I have so much to give. There's a lot of fire and hunger in me to juice every part that I get.

I still live as normal a life as anybody else. I have two homes to run. I have my staff to take care of. I work, pay bills and attend society meetings like everybody else.

The best feeling is when you are remembered for the character you play on the screen and people associate you with that character. There is no better feeling than that feeling.

There is a strong side to me, that is of a homemaker. I look forward to spending time at home in the evenings, cooking a meal, chatting with my parents and inviting friends over.

I know the importance of family. I mean, it really completes me as a person. I want lots of children; I want so many children. I look at babies' pictures, and I am like... I love kids.

My character in 'Cocktail' was different from my personality. Homi Adajania took me to London, showed me how girls dress and behave there. I had not seen that kind of lifestyle before.

I always think before I speak. I'm not the sort who will just say anything that comes to my mind. I'm a very emotional and sensitive person. But I'm also very strong and know my mind well.

Everybody doesn't get to do each and every film. I don't compete with others; I compete with myself. I have been an athlete, a sportsperson; so I know how to be competitive in a healthy way.

I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think it's about following your instincts and doing a film for the right reason.

Every film teaches you something; every experience on every film set with every co-star teaches you something. You learn something new. I think the challenge is to keep working harder and doing better.

I can't resist South Indian cuisine, particularly what is prepared at home. My mom is my favourite cook. She can cook a variety of cuisines. I savour her cooking at home, and she's undoubtedly the best.

I feel ups and downs are a part of one's career, and this totally depends on how you take it. You can either be knocked down by the negative things, or you can take it in a positive way and learn from it.

I am not very comfortable about dancing at weddings and New Year parties. Maybe it's because of the way I have been brought up; I wouldn't want my family to feel that cringe moment. Dance is an art for me.

My effort is to slip into any role that is offered to me. The minute you go into those costumes, those grand sets, and start prepping up for the role, you become the part or at least start feeling the part.

For me, competition is good; that is what keeps me on my toes and keeps me going. I am always trying to better my own work, do better than my earlier films... do films that are challenging and exciting for me.

Of course! It takes a lot of strength to mend a broken heart. Channelising energies into your work helps, but also to be able to accept situations for what they are instead of questioning them helps immensely.

Comedy is the most difficult. Comic timing is something which you either have it in you, or you don't. You have to have a good sense of humour to be able to understand it. A split second can make you lose the punch.

When I finished 'Cocktail,' it took me a very long time to get out of Veronica's mindspace, behaviour, and zone. I had to reconnect with who I am. It is a similar story with 'Bajirao Mastani.' Some films demand that.

I don't think I am a star; I consider myself like any other girl who is of my age. Others may be working in office and doing different jobs. Similarly I don't think I am doing something different... I am also working.

A script narration is like watching a film, and I react to it like an audience with my own instinct. After that, I look for what is my character, what will I bring to the table in that role, how challenging will it be.

It's good to be slightly ambitious, but I believe one shouldn't be too calculative. It's good to be on the edge, but I have never followed my mind. I have always followed my heart. And it has yielded the right results.

Preparation is definitely important, but it depends on the kinds of roles I do. Like, I completely identify with my character in 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.' I had to be myself and I didn't have to actually prepare for it.

I was born in Copenhagen, and when I was a year old, we moved to Bangalore. I was always a shy person and was happy with just a few friends and that came from my own social awkwardness. I did not know how to make conversations.

Even though I played national level badminton, I told my parents when I was in 10th that I was not interested in continuing. Being a model or actor fascinated me from a young age, and I even did a couple of ads when I was just eight years old.

I have always been focused on my job. No profession allows you the luxury of being half-focused. If you're not into it, you're not there. And the film industry is all the more harsh in these cases, perhaps because it's a business of the limelight.

I am someone who can't hold on to negativity or hold on to grudges. I might feel something at a certain point, but I get tired after that. I don't carry it with me. I forgive and forget very easily, and that's the only way to be happy and peaceful.

Yes, my life has changed in terms of the fame and the success, the number of eye balls on you all the time. I like to believe that it has not changed my ideology, the person that I am. I have people like Anna and my mom, my friends who tell me that.

When you look at a person, any person, everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed their life. Anxiety, depression and panic attacks are not signs of weakness. They are signs of trying to remain strong for way too long.

Once the film is done, then I like to watch myself. I know some actors say that they get very self-conscious watching themselves on screen especially if they have to cry in the scenes, they don't like the way their face contorts, but I have no such issues.

I think for everything that people say about me as a person today - whether it's about being disciplined and grounded or whatever - I think a lot of it is a credit to my father, who has been a massive influence in my life both professionally and personally.

I try and work out as often as possible. Since I travel very often, it becomes very difficult to have a daily work out routine, but I practice yoga every day or try and play some sport. Also, I am very aware of what suits my body in terms of food and exercise.

There are certain things I talk to my mom and certain things I speak to dad for. But I also know that it has never been that I can tell my mum something and my dad won't know. They are very dependent on each other even though they may not say it or realise it.

In the (film) industry, body size doesn't matter. What matters is how much an actor contributes through his performance and not his body size. It is important that every person should wear clothes that go with their body - the cut, the fabric make a lot of difference.

I've always believed that as actors, one of the biggest advantages of being in the film business - not just of being actors, but being in this industry - is the fact that you get to travel so much, and you get to see places that you probably would not if you went just as a tourist.

I don't have an issue with marrying an actor, though it's definitely tough. I work with actors and interact with star wives, and I don't know how they do it. Loyalty is a very important factor for me, and I need to be in a relationship where the person will complete me and fill me up.

When you work on a film, it's important to feel that you are starting afresh and doing it for the first time. Also, it's important to have those butterflies in your stomach; you need to wonder how you are going to approach the character and whether you will be able to do justice to the part.

People talk about physical fitness, but mental health is equally important. I see people suffering, and their families feel a sense of shame about it, which doesn't help. One needs support and understanding. I am now working on an initiative to create awareness about anxiety and depression and help people.

I don't want to be typecast as a heroine who does a certain kind of cinema, which is why I experiment with the types of films that I do. But yes, I won't deny that romantic love stories or romantic comedies are what I enjoy doing the most, because as an audience those are the kind of films that I like watching.

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